The invention refers to a hinge with a spiral torsion spring, whose tension is adjustable. The tension of the spring determines the self-acting spring-assisted opening of the lids on luggage boxes in aircraft, when these are fitted with hinges of this type.
The European patent application no. EP 0894 933 describes a hinge possessing the following characteristics: The hinge comprises a pivoting and a fixed hinge leaf. It has a physical hinge axle similar to a hollow cylinder which is common to both hinge leaves with an imaginary mathematical axis. The hinge axle is connected unmovably to the pivoting hinge leaf and mounted rotatably in a journal bearing. The body of the journal bearing is connected rigidly to the fixed hinge leaf. A spiral torsion spring is arranged in the hinge axle. The first of the two ends of the spiral torsion spring is anchored to the hinge axle and the second of the two ends of the spiral torsion spring is anchored permanently to the journal bearing.
The tension of the spiral torsion spring can be adjusted by moving the anchored end of the spiral torsion spring. Exact details of this design are neither stated nor implied. The purpose of the invention is to provide an arrangement which allows the tension of the spiral torsion spring to be changed at any time without having to remove and re-install the tension spring in the hinge or, in other words, to make possible to adjust the tension of the spiral torsion spring simply by operating a setting element,
The worm-type gear unit according to the invention already known in the art and consists of a screw-shaped so-called endless screw (shaft) which, when it rotates, turns a gear wheel (worm wheel) engaging the shaft. The axes of the endless screw and the worm wheel are offset by 90° with reference to one another.